Smelly Drains: What’s Causing Those Odors and How Can You Get Rid of Them?

Categories: Drain Clearing & Cleaning, Plumbing

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Smelly drains, whether in the kitchen or the bathroom, can make a whole room less pleasant to be in. When rinsing your drains isn’t enough to keep odors away, there are other steps you can take.

Destroy Odors Naturally

First remove the drain strainer and the plastic guard protecting the garbage disposal. Scrub both clean with soap and warm water. For mild odors, try pouring a cup of white vinegar down the drain and running the water until the smell disappears. Vinegar reduces odor-causing bacteria.

If vinegar doesn’t help, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain and let it work on the odors for around 20 minutes. To flush the baking soda away, bring a pan of water to a boil and pour the hot water straight down the drain. This cleans the drain, as well as the pipes connected to it.

Bring in the Commercial Cleaners

Sometimes natural cleaners alone aren’t enough to freshen up truly smelly drains. If vinegar and baking soda don’t help, try turning on the hot water and gradually pouring in a tablespoon or two of scented dish soap as the water runs.

If you suspect the odor is coming from the garbage disposal, pick up a commercial disposal cleaner and use it as directed. Doing this every two or three weeks should keep the disposal odor free.

Maintain Drains

Keep drains clean by always using a strainer or stopper to prevent food particles and hair from slipping clogging them up. Bits of food can quickly built up, spoil and produce unpleasant smells. Hair clogs, too, can be start to smell after a while.

After doing dishes, turn the tap on and run the garbage disposal for a minute or two to prevent food buildup. Dropping in a few peels from a lemon, orange or other citrus fruit every few weeks and running the disposal also helps keep the drain smelling fresh.